JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – College basketball is often a
transactional place. The portal opens, coaches move, and new relationships form
just as quickly as the old one ended.
It felt even more jarring than usual, then, to see two grown
men – a player and his coach – sitting at a post-game press podium in tears.
The tears were real. The relationship is real.
Longwood forward Elijah Tucker makes no secret that he is at
Longwood because of Ronnie Thomas. Ronnie recruited him. Ronnie cared for him
when he was injured. Tucker stayed at Longwood after a brief flirtation with
the portal because of Thomas.
Knowing this makes the hurt now – and the relationship
forever – mean more to coach and player.
Thomas is in his first year as the Longwood leader, having
learned from a series of great mentors at the Division III and Division I levels.
That Thomas is near his players in age is not the only secret to his connection
with them. Every tear tells that story.
“(Longwood) has meant a lot to me,” Tucker said. “Longwood
changed me in a lot of ways – especially Ronnie. He cares a lot about his
players.”
Tucker then paused to collect himself.
“I remember two years ago, I got hurt at the Big South
tournament. He’s the one – he and our athletic trainer – who stayed with me
that whole night in that hospital. He never left my side until that next
morning when he had to go for that championship game.”
“Honestly, words can’t explain it. He just means a whole
lot. He’s the reason I came back. He’s the reason I wanted to bring a
championship to Longwood. Even though we didn’t do that, it’s still the best
decision I’ve ever made. I wouldn’t change that for anything. I would always
come back to Longwood.”
Thomas took in every word. He stared ahead as tears left his
eyes, seemingly both taking in the verbal flowers from his star and trying to
compose himself.
Tucker hurt himself again midway through the Lancers’
quarterfinal, overtime loss to Asheville, crumpling to the floor with a leg
injury. The senior star returned to the bench to cheer on his team, though he
was unable to continue.
Thomas also took some time to reflect on his inner
relationship after the game. The Lancers grew under his tutelage both on and
off the floor.
“I don’t know if (my first year) taught me as much as it
just finally gave me a platform to love and give these guys a lot of care,”
Thomas said. “(Tucker) and (guard Emanuel Richards) I’ve been with for three
years. I recruited them both. Just to be on a platform and put them both in a
program that – (they know) how much I love them every day and care for them.
Even in the wins and losses – sometimes I want to wring their neck, if I’m
being honest. (I learned) to understand – to be the same person, because then I
can challenge them to be the same person. (I just appreciate) having the platform
to be that example for them.”
Thomas continued, mentioning Tucker’s final game in the
process.
“The hardest things are the losses,” Thomas said. “It’s not
because of how competitive I am or what I want. It’s more so because I just
want it for them. I don’t want (Tucker) to go out the way it went.”
The connection within the Lancer program extends to the
community that surrounds it. Farmville is a small, tight-knit Virginia town
that embraces its teams. In turn, it embraces the young coach.
“For the community in Farmville – (we were) second (in the
league) in attendance, and they come out every night and give us a lot of
support. President (Taylor) Reveley and (athletic director) Tim (Hall) – they’re
awesome. I just want everyone to enjoy it, because I know what winning does for
our town and what winning does for these guys.”
“I know the lessons they took from this year will help them
win beyond basketball. In this era, whether it’s one year or three years, the
love will last forever, no matter how long it is.”
There are already championship banners hanging in Longwood’s
architectural marvel, the Joan Perry Brock Center. For anyone who wonders if
another may ever join them, they can simply ask the star Lancer forward.
“I just appreciate (Thomas) bringing me here and keeping me
along with the team,” Tucker said. “Longwood has a great future ahead of them
with a coach like Ronnie. He does it all. He cares about his players. He does
everything he can. This won’t be the last of Longwood bringing a championship
to the Big South. They’re going to get it.”
If there were any doubt on Tucker’s endorsement, he erased
it with his final statement.
“I just say (to) trust the process. Coach Ronnie Thomas is
the guy. He’s going to get it done.”
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